Jayson Tatum‘s benching became one of the big storylines during Team USA’s run to the gold medal in the Paris Olympics. The Celtics star didn’t see the court in the team’s opening game against Serbia. He did play in four of the other five games and says he’s not bitter over his modest role.
“I wasn’t moping around. I didn’t have an attitude. I wasn’t angry at the world,” Tatum told Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “I stayed ready and did what was asked of me and I won a gold medal, right?”
The first-game benching was big news and Tatum was well aware of it.
“It was a lot. In the age of social media, you see everything,” Tatum said. “You see all the tweets and the people on the podcasts and people on TV giving their opinion on whether they thought it was a good decision or it was an outrageous decision or whatever. Obviously, I wanted to contribute more, and I’ve never been in (this) situation. I started playing basketball at (age) three at the YMCA, and I’ve never not played, so it was different and it was challenging.”
Tatum, who also won a gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, averaged 5.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 17.7 minutes in his Olympic appearances this summer.
If there was a lingering issue to come out of his individual Olympic performances, it’s that his jump shot went AWOL. He shot 38.1% overall and missed all four of his 3-point tries.
Tatum also struggled from long range throughout the NBA playoffs, as he made only 39-of-138 three-point attempts (28.3%). He was still an offensive force while winning the first championship ring of his career, posting averages of 25.0 points and 6.3 assists in 19 playoff games.
He isn’t concerned that his shooting woes will carry into next season.
“I have two (gold medals) now, I have a championship, and everything doesn’t necessarily go the way you expect it to go, right?” Tatum said. “I’ve learned to be like, ‘OK, that’s a part of it.’ You move on, and I’m getting ready to enjoy the last little weeks I have before the season starts and get ready for another season.”
Tatum was one of several Celtics who received extensions after the season. He was rewarded with a five-year, super-max contract that will begin in 2025/26. He’s not going to rest on his laurels as Boston aims to become the first team since Golden State in 2017-18 to win back-to-back titles.
“I’m of the mindset that after ring night, in a weird way, we got to put that behind (us),” he said. “Last year was last year. We did it. It was a dream come true. We worked our (butt) off for it. But after ring night, we gotta move on. We gotta get ready for game two.”
Tatum will have his time on the Olympic team. They’ll need him. This was sort of the Kerr, Curry, LeBron, Durant last hurrah. It worked on the floor mostly, and the compatibility / cohesion was great so why not?
I’m not saying I know this but there’s a slim chance Kerr was told (or thought so himself,) don’t play the Celtics guys a ton because of all the miles and games this year in winning it all? There’s a slight possibility there? Very slight !! LOL, but Tatum will have his time in the spotlight and he’ll perform very well as expected I’m sure. Heck they just won the championship he can’t be too down on himself.
I just got done reading the entirety of the Jared Weiss piece on Tatum over on the Athletic and judging from Jayson’s comments, I wasn’t getting the “down on himself” vibe at all. It was more like he was just admitting what a humbling experience it was for him especially coming so soon after winning the chip and signing that historic contract.
This wasn’t referenced above but Tatum went on to talk about what its been like raising his son in Boston and how the team’s failures/success have played a part in Duece’s daily life at school.
Rough on the kid? I can imagine !!
Well that would suck of course but the Silver Lining is rough times make us tough and resilient hopefully. Easy times don’t prep us for the cruel world to come.
“A ship in a harbor is safe but that is not what ships are built for.”
He really didn’t say if it was rough or not but I’m sure it had to be at times. His kid is heading into first grade so its probably going to get worse at some point.
You could say that your second paragraph sort of sums up Tatum & Brown’s time in Boston too. Not only did those two have to deal critiques from Boston fans, which itself can bey very difficult at times, they also had to deal with backlash from the sports media world and their listeners for whatever reasoning. Those critiques carried them to a Finals win.
To add to your thought below, who knows how it will all play out in the coming years but THIS one was a very memorable once for this fanbase to which I’m pretty grateful for. Not every fanbase gets to celebrate their favorite sports team’s success like that.
I hate reading about how player’s kids get effected when the player isn’t doing well. I read an article about Westbrook had considered moving his family out of LA for the same reason.
The interactions between Tatum and his son on live TV are enjoyable to watch.
Halfway thru last season when Tatum’s 3-point shot went bad, some coach gave him a tip and his percentage went back up. Of course then it went bad again in the playoffs. Still Tatum, as a player who can due it all, did his part by scoring, driving to score and/or kicking the ball out, rebounding, blocking shots and playing defense. Shooting poorly from three is likely why he didn’t play much during the Olympics. Net, net, if Jayson can keep playing team ball, get his three point % back up this year & make fewer unnecessary turnovers, Celts will have a good chance. Go Celtics!
Yes and I’d say better than a good chance.. and excellent chance to win two more with this group. Not necessarily in a row but they are young enough two more is not out of the question.
On a team of All Stars, some are gonna not get minutes. It’s not that deep.
Making the team and not playing is way more impressive than not making the team.
Old news
His “shooting woes” have been there for the last 2 seasons, he changed his shot before 22/23 season, lots of IG posts that summer of him working on it. He screwed up his shot and hopefully he knows he needs a change, I do not think he he realizes it though.
It’s like his shot has too many hitches in it. It looks like a crooked Highway as it goes from his chest up to the release point rather than a straight line. His body contorts also.
I think it’s way too late to change his shot completely but I think someone like Klay Thompson has the perfect form for a 6-7, 6-6 guy. He doesn’t bring the ball down under his chin or his chest because he’s strong enough to shoot from where he catches it.
If he catches at the face area or forehead Klay flings it from there because of his size and strength. There’s no Crooked Road on the way up or contorting the body.
luapnor, there was a point during the 23/24 season where Tatum (and whoever the coach is that helps him with his shooting) found a correctable flaw in his form and it raised his 3pt percentage considerably. It was right around the new year and he went from 32% in December to 40% in Jan, 35% in Feb & 44% in March. We all know that it went downhill from that point on into the playoffs
What the real issue is, like many other #1 scoring options tend to do, is JT will take “settle 3’s” where rather than trying to drive & dish to get the ball moving around the perimeter to free up an open three for someone, he’ll just take a pull up three with 15seconds still left on the shot clock. He probably takes around 3-4 “settle” attempts a game and they’re usually what drags down his percentage.
Overall his shot selection has improved greatly in recent years and in 23/24 he finished with a career high in eFG%, had his second highest FG% season and overall still shot 37% from three (league average was 35%.)
Too many people get caught up in his 3pt percentage, which again is still pretty good, and forget that he’s capable of beating you in so many other ways. G5 of the Finals was the perfect example, I can’t even recount how many complaints I read online pointing to his 1-7 from three that night Apparently that same group didn’t notice he finished with 11 assists to just 2 turnovers, 8 boards, 2 steals, shot 10-17 inside the arc w/8-8 from the line and still scored 31pts, 5 more than his season average.
He’ll never be a great 3pt shooter but in that offense he doesn’t need to be.
So glad he isnt on my team, Boston better hold on tight to Brown cause he is the leader and they will go as far as he goes
It’s funny a year or two ago Brown was the guy they were going to trade. But it’s him who seems to be the guy who comes through when going gets tough.
You’re right, and I think they will hold on to him. He’s very very good. But you need Tatum too. Or else the defenses will lock down on Brown and he won’t be as effective.
Brabo said:
> So glad he isn’t on my team.
But if he was on your team you’d be even gladder, right?